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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

big baby has anyone delivered a smaller baby than the scan suggested?? v.v.worried

43 replies

Pinkbump3 · 08/04/2009 20:27

I'm 38 weeks pg and have been constantly told im having "big baby" its scrawled all over my notes

this is my third and my other 2 dds where 9lbs13 and 8lbs13 so im used to big

but they have been sending me for growth scans and i had one today which says the baby is 9lbs10 today with 2 weeks to go!!

im worried sick as i had really bad tear and infection with my 9lbs13 dd but even when i was expecting her they never went on about her size in this way. They have predicted she will be 10 and a half pounds plus!

I spoke to the consultant and they are booking me in to be induced next wed if i dont go before (they swept my membranes on mon but obv still nothing)

has anyone had any experience with this? what did your baby weigh compared to the scan measurement?

i dont know if im posting in the right thread so i have posted in childbirth thread as well thanks x

OP posts:

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PussinJimmyChoos · 08/04/2009 20:29

I had a 36wk scan that predicted DS would be around 8lb 7oz....he was 10 days late and 7lb 2.50z....they aren't always right!

Having said that, if you have had two big babies previously, then they are probably erring on the side of caution...which is no bad thing. Perhaps induction the best thing?

mrsturnip · 08/04/2009 20:30

Yes, 3 times.

Big heads though- they did get that right.

thisisyesterday · 08/04/2009 20:32

growth scans are notoriously unreliable. do a quick search of the archives on here and you;'ll find some unbelievable stories!

the tear you had with your first may well have been nothing to do with how big she was, but how you laboured and many other factors.
I tore with my first, but had nothing with my second who was bigger and had a bigger head.

I would NOT accept an induction due to a growth scan.

Sorrento · 08/04/2009 20:47

I completely agree about induction it's such rubbish that the growth scans can predict that accurately, the scans told me I was having three boys and I have three girls so take them with a huge pinch of salt.

Original poster

Pinkbump3 · 08/04/2009 20:47

thanks i will search, to be honest im really worried about induction as with both my dds i went into spontanious labour my waters broke at home. but i have heard that induction is pretty full on, but scared to wait now because of the size they say she is!

OP posts:

Sorrento · 08/04/2009 20:49

Just read they have booked you in, that's outragous, you know you don't have to accept it don't you ?
I have had 2 inductions and one natural birth and I would never even at 42 weeks allow an induction again unless our lives were threatened.

ConnorTraceptive · 08/04/2009 20:51

Oh I agree with sorrento by the way ds1 was induced an it was awful ds2 was spontaneous and much much better delivery

Sorrento · 08/04/2009 20:52

My sister who is 5'2" gave birth to an 11lb baby and was absolutely fine with him, not even a stitch, it's just not a valid reason to induce at all. The thing with induction is that one thing tends to lead to another and it's all very medicalised and the recovery is longer, hampering Breast feeding etc.
It's not the worse thing in the world at all and as long as you and the baby are ok that's the main thing, but I'd do everything I could to avoid it.

fattiemumma · 08/04/2009 20:52

they told me Ds would be at least 10lb. i was terrified.

he was born exactly 7lb.

Sorrento · 08/04/2009 20:53

No wonder they are having to pay pregnant mums to have medical advice, most of it seems to be out dated nonsense.

Original poster

Pinkbump3 · 08/04/2009 20:54

was it really that bad sorrento? the consultant never really asked if i wanted to be induced she just said that there is no way she is letting me go over my date (21st april) as its not best for me or baby and got the mw to call hosp (was at the clmu) to arrange induction. i have to got to hosp for 1pm on wed and they will try a pessary (sp) with view to ARM on thurs! which has me really worried.

OP posts:

coppertop · 08/04/2009 20:57

Dd's measurements were off the scale in my 38wk growth scan. My 2 boys had weighed 9lbs (2 weeks early) and 9lbs 8oz and I was warned that dd would be much bigger.

I was induced at 40wks and she weighed 7lbs 4oz.

thisisyesterday · 08/04/2009 20:59

oh ffs it is not up to the consultant it is up to you!
don't let them bully you into doing something you don't want.

a friend of mine was told she HAD to be induced as she had gestational diabetes and her baby was over 10lb. they were horrid to her, basically saying the baby would die if she didn't accept induction.
she refused it and he was born at term weighing 8lb something.

makes me so cross when they treat women like this

Original poster

Pinkbump3 · 08/04/2009 21:14

i dont know what to do now i wont see the consultant again now and my next mw appt is tues the day b4 induction. i dont live anywhere near the hosp i have to go to its only a clmu we have here.

OP posts:

thisisyesterday · 08/04/2009 21:17

i would advise you to find out as much as you can about all possibilities.
so, research induction, research big babies, reasons why you might tear and how to avoid it etc etc

the decision is yours to make, but it needs to be an informed decision.
what does your community midwife think about it all? is she supportive? it might be worth ringing her and having a chat about the reliablity of the growth scan and things like that and getting her opinion.

if you don't want to be induced then you can ring them and cancel it

smartiejake · 08/04/2009 21:24

IME scans are not that accurate. For DD1 I had a 36 week scan which predicted she was already 7and a half pounds which would have made her over 10lbs at birth. She was a healthy 8lbs 3 oz (Meaning she would have put on only 11 ozs in the last 4 weeks.)

I know lots of other mums who were told their babies would be huge from these late scans and they are rarely right.

seeker · 08/04/2009 21:36

I was predicted a big baby - and he was 10lbs6. However he was born in 2 hoursish with no pain relief and I was home in hours. Size doesn't necessarily make a difference unless you have too small a pelvis to deliver the baby. My sil had horrendous labours and births and hers were all between 6 and 7 lbs.

Seriously, you are more likely to have a difficult labour if you are induced than if you start naturally - I would hold out against the induction unless there is a really good reason for it. Ask what the reason is - don't just take their word for it.

CaptainNancy · 08/04/2009 21:39

They said from the scan DD was going to be a 10lber- bump was huge, and I am tiny... she was 6lb 11oz

MumOeufMonsters · 08/04/2009 21:41

i was scanned at 38 weeks and was told DS3 was already 9lb - he was born the next day 6lb 11

MummyElk · 08/04/2009 21:50

Well - my story is similar to others here - told i was having a 10lb baby (i'm 5'3") and i was induced three days early. it was horrid and i wouldn't go for it again unless either of us were in danger...
that being said...it was my first baby. so i don't know what it's like to be induced for your third, when your cervix etc knows what it's doing and perhaps only needs a bit of persuasion to get going?
anyway - there are loads of people out there with stories of wrong growth scans, so you won't be alone if the baby isn't huge. And if it is, you've already done this twice before, so perhaps it won't be so bad? Agree with ThisisYesterday - your tear first time round may not have been anything to do with size.
Good luck though, I completely feel for you in this situation.

Sorrento · 08/04/2009 22:08

At the end of the day it's 24 hours of your life and you will be fine no matter what, I do not want to frighten you.
You've had 2 children before so you know what's a head of you, you also are more than capable of delivering a 11lb baby if that's what you have in there. If god forbid it gets stuck or distressed then you have a c section, it's not the end of the world but personally I would rather leave it to nature see what happens and if you end up in theatre so be it.
But that's my feelings on the matter, the point is that it's not up to "them" it's up to you and it seems to me that the placenta is doing just fine, the baby is happy enough and if you aren't in any pain then sit tight. The reasons they are giving up just are not good enough to be booking you in for intervention.
Bring it up with the midwife when you see her the day before see what she has to say, they rarely see things the same way as the consultant anyway and you do not have to go in if you don't want to. If they try and make you feel bad saying the baby will die or any of that emotional blackmail just say "what evidence do you have to support that" and if they have some great, if not wait and see.
Good luck hun, you'll be ok

MIAeatingeggs · 08/04/2009 22:24

Close friend measured big all the way through, had growth scans. A month before they said 9lb 9 and she went over by 2 weeks, baby was born 8lb and a bit!
There was a really good thread on here a few days ago with a link to a 'big baby' birth website that a MNetter had done, hopefully somebody will come along and link to it for you.

seeker · 09/04/2009 07:52

Is there any evidence of a link between big babies and difficult births? (not counting not having a big enough pelvis, of course).

Anecdotally, in my circle there certainly isn't but maybe we're not typical.

CherryChoc · 09/04/2009 10:32

Have a look at this page on the homebirth website. It has information about induction and elective c-sections for big babies which you can apply to hospital birth and there are some stories about home births of big babies which are really inspiring to read - if people can do it at home, you should be able to do it at hospital without induction

Of course it is your choice in the end but have they given you an informed choice - have they been over the risks of induction with you?

madwomanintheattic · 09/04/2009 10:38

they told me dd1 was scanning 9lb 13 and could be a pound heavier. i'm titchy and so they told me i wasn't allowed to go into labour as it would be far too dangerous and i had to have elective cs, come back at 4pm to see the anaesthetist, and we'll do you first thing.

dd1 was 8lb 6.

ho hum.

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